AMHERST — Beginning on Feb. 29, Amherst launched its first-ever Kindness Campaign to create a culture of compassion, generosity and goodwill throughout the community. The campaign’s slo...
click for more

AMHERST — With rising numbers and many developmental opportunities, the Amherst Baseball organization is looking forward to an exciting and successful 2024 season.

“We offer a fa...
click for more

AMHERST — Several months after voters pushed the project forward in a special election, construction of Amherst’s new elementary school is expected to begin in March.

After Anse...
click for more

AMHERST — Many students and parents expressed concerns to the Amherst School Committee as it opened its fiscal year 2025 Amherst Public Schools budget hearing.

The Feb. 13 School Commi...
click for more

AMHERST — The community is invited to welcome in the Year of the Dragon and learn more about the spring festival at Amherst Regional Middle School on Saturday, Feb. 17.

The festival, o...
click for more

AMHERST — Amit Kanoujia might have been spot-on when he said you say something at least twice a day that comes true.

For example, when the current restaurateur said some time ago how h...
click for more

AMHERST — Council on Aging members have initiated conversations with town officials regarding areas of concern for the current Senior Center space and how to resolve them.

On Jan 8., m...
click for more

AMHERST — Looking for another way to connect with military veterans in the area, Amherst’s Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service Department will begin hosting twice monthl...
click for more

AMHERST — The town of Amherst has launched its sustainability focused community dashboard, available online to those interested in the town’s climate friendly efforts.

Available ...
click for more

AMHERST — Beginning with the ceremonial raising of the flag, the town of Amherst will celebrate the start of Black History Month at Town Hall on Thursday, Feb. 1. As part of the observance, m...
click for more

AMHERST — Ahead of the Feb. 13 public hearing on the budget, the Amherst School Committee conducted a review of the proposals for fiscal year 2025, noting potential reductions that may be imp...
click for more

Residents joined members of the Town Council at the Bangs Community Center on Jan. 15 to honor the life and legacy of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. Speaking on behalf of the Town Coun...
click for more

AMHERST — National Girls and Women in Sports Day will be observed and celebrated on Saturday, Feb. 3 through a partnership with the Amherst College Department of Athletics, the town of Amhers...
click for more

AMHERST — Grant funds supporting proposals for music and theater events, visual artists and natural environment programs were announced by the Amherst Cultural Council on Jan. 18.

The ...
click for more

AMHERST — Gabrielle Gould, executive director of the Amherst Business Improvement District and the Downtown Amherst Foundation announced on Jan. 12 that she will be stepping down from her pos...
click for more

AMHERST — Following allegations by a parent and student during the public comment section of a recent School Committee meeting, the chosen interim principal for Amherst Regional Middle School...
click for more

AMHERST — Flooding issues along an area in South Amherst have prompted town officials to pursue state funding in hopes of preventing further issues.

In his Jan. 8 report, Town Manager ...
click for more

AMHERST — With development expected to allow occupancy during 2028, a two-site project for affordable housing in the town is climbing the steps to reach the permitting, financing, constructio...
click for more

AMHERST — Snow or not, WinterFest 2024 comes to the town again with an assortment of activities for the community.

The Amherst Recreation Department, working with a host of community p...
click for more

AMHERST — With additional funding under consideration for 2024, the town of Amherst has been awarded a 2023 State Revolving Fund loan with principle forgiveness for the Centennial Water Treat...
click for more

AMHERST — A public, nonprofit affordable housing organization selected the town of Amherst as a recipient of support through the agency’s intensive technical assistance program for loca...
click for more

AMHERST — The first Town Council meeting of 2024 moved along swiftly Jan. 2 with the swearing in of newly elected members, the election of a council president and vice-president and the swear...
click for more

AMHERST — Facing mounting challenges to their proposed plan to install pickleball courts in Kiwanis Park, Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek told the Community Preservation Act Committee on ...
click for more

AMHERST — With work paused for winter, town officials have said the renovation project on the North Common is making significant headway as it moves towards its target completion for the star...
click for more

AMHERST — Community members joined with town officials on Dec. 21 to witness the unveiling of a new street sign at the corner of Hazel Avenue and Northampton Road, to celebrate the town of Am...
click for more

AMHERST — They will all be there, The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, the Whos and Gertrude McFuzz as Amherst Community Theater presents their production of the Broadway musical “S...
click for more

AMHERST — The town hosted its first of four planned public forums in hopes of hearing from community members on their experiences with Amherst police and their opinions on the formation of a ...
click for more

AMHERST — Futura Coffee Roasters has officially planted itself in Western Massachusetts with the Dec. 9 ribbon cutting and grand opening of its Amherst location at 73 Cowls Rd. in the Mill Di...
click for more

AMHERST — For John Dobrydnio, his love of music started in 1964 when he was three years old and dancing with his aunt to the sound of the Beatles’ first album, “Meet the Beatles.&...
click for more

AMHERST — With an eye on a July 2024 installation for a new, permanent superintendent, the Joint Union 26 and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committees are furthering that pursuit by seating ...
click for more

AMHERST — Members of the town’s Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service have begun responding to a limited number and variety of dispatched calls for service.

CRESS, ...
click for more

AMHERST — Two members of the Amherst Town Council were honored for their individual acts of service and contribution to the community.

District 4 Councilor Anika Lopes was voted one of...
click for more

AMHERST — Alongside a positive annual performance review, Town Manager Paul Bockelman has been awarded an extension of his current employment contract through Aug. 31, 2027.

During its...
click for more

AMHERST — An animal rights group is calling for a federal investigation into a University of Massachusetts Amherst laboratory where marmoset monkeys are being utilized in medical studies.

AMHERST — The conversations over proposed pickleball courts at Kiwanis Park continued into the Dec. 4 Recreation Commission meeting at which calls for reconsiderations of the proposed sites w...
click for more

AMHERST — A well-attended Dec. 4 Town Council meeting was fostered with lengthy discussion and more than an hour of public comment as council members considered their position on another $10 ...
click for more

AMHERST — The union representing teachers and staff members is calling for the resignation of a now part-time human resources employee following the release of portions of a Title IX investig...
click for more

AMHERST — The FBI field office in Boston announced that an Amherst man became the 32nd resident from their investigative coverage area, which includes Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and ...
click for more

AMHERST — The proposed construction of pickleball courts identified for Kiwanis Park has been met with resistance from some community members who live in close proximity to the park and the l...
click for more

AMHERST — The Joint Union 26 and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committees voted unanimously to engage a search and recruitment firm for the purpose of identifying candidates to fill the vaca...
click for more

AMHERST — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be providing technical support to Amherst in order to assist the town in improving stormwater management and to facilitate the advancem...
click for more

AMHERST — A student invention team at Amherst Regional High School has become one of only eight school groups across the country to be awarded a grant to further work on a technological proje...
click for more

AMHERST — The Lighting of the Merry Maple will again be the center of a host of activities on Dec. 1 as the annual holiday cavalcade returns to the Town Common.

The tree illumination i...
click for more

AMHERST — With their release this month and public access now confirmed, the redacted versions of five related Title IX investigation reports into allegations of improper conduct by staffers ...
click for more

AMHERST — Ahead of the regularly scheduled Town Council meeting, Town Manager Paul Bockelman introduced the annual gathering of the major elected officials for the town for the start of the b...
click for more

AMHERST — A Nov. 9 public hearing by the Board of Health explored proposed changes to the town’s body art regulations. The hearing preceded the regular board meeting which also addresse...
click for more

AMHERST — Joining communities in the area, residents, town leaders and members of the public safety departments gathered at the downtown fire station on Veterans Day to pay tribute to those w...
click for more

AMHERST — The Mill District General Store and Local Art Gallery is presenting their first Holiday Arts Market on Nov. 18 to showcase not only the store’s variety of goods for sale but a...
click for more

AMHERST — New names and faces will sit alongside those familiar to the community following the Nov. 7 Election Day results.

A reorganized Regional and Joint School Committee membership...
click for more

AMHERST — Braving a cold and rainy Sunday, superheroes, clowns and animals took to the streets of downtown on Oct 29, stopping off at local businesses for noontime trick-or-treating ahead of ...
click for more

AMHERST — At its Nov. 1 meeting, the Planning Board heard a request for a comprehensive permit to construct 30 affordable residential units on a 9.047-acre site located at 20-40 Ball Lane....
click for more

AMHERST — Town taxpayers who voted strongly in favor of supporting the financial burden for a new elementary school will likely see a significant reduction in their costs for the project afte...
click for more

AMHERST — Adding to a $100,000 bestowment the institution made last year, Amherst College is now giving a $1 million gift to the Jones Library Building Project.

In an Oct. 31 announcem...
click for more

AMHERST — The Amherst Council on Aging and the Senior Center are working to making sure the town’s older community members are not forgotten during the holiday season with their sponsor...
click for more

AMHERST — Doreen Cunningham, the assistant superintendent with the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District, is officially separated from her position with the school system.

Cunningham...
click for more

AMHERST — Rounding out Fire Prevention Week, the Amherst Fire Department raised the bay doors at the Central Fire Station on Saturday, Oct. 14 for their annual open house event.

Firefi...
click for more

AMHERST — A Massachusetts nonprofit organization has recognized State Representative Mindy Domb (D-Amherst) with a 2023 Award of Excellence.
The Providers’ Council, an association...
click for more

AMHERST — At the Oct. 17 meeting of the Joint Regional and Union 26 School Committee, discussions went beyond the search process going forward in the selection of a new, permanent superintend...
click for more

AMHERST — The embattled director of the town’s Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service has resigned from his position as he remained on administrative leave under the cloud ...
click for more

AMHERST — The ghouls and goblins return to the Bangs Community Center on Sunday, Oct. 29 for the annual Halloween Spooktacular.

Becky Demling, outreach director for Amherst Recreation,...
click for more

AMHERST — A mosquito located within Amherst tested positive for West Nile virus according to an announcement by the town and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The single insect w...
click for more

AMHERST — The downtown Central Fire Station, located at 68 North Pleasant St., will host the department’s annual Open House on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Firefighte...
click for more

AMHERST — Plans for a three-court pickleball course at Kiwanis Park were reviewed recently by town officials and are expected to move out to the bidding phase.

Recreation Director Rey ...
click for more

AMHERST — Former school Superintendent Michael Morris, who departed the district in August, has resurfaced as the director of human resources for Westfield Public Schools.

Morris, who ...
click for more

AMHERST — The Second Annual Senior Health Fair takes over the large activity room at the Bangs Community Center on Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 2-4 p.m.

Senior Services Director Hayley Bolton...
click for more

AMHERST — The Oct. 3 meeting of the Joint Amherst, Pelham, Regional and Union 26 School Committee welcomed their newly selected members for their first gathering as a fully staffed body.

AMHERST — A town committee offered recommendations for reparative justice in a final report to “redress racialized harms waged against the town’s African American residents histor...
click for more

AMHERST — Three candidates were selected to serve out the remaining terms of those members of the Amherst Regional School Committee who resigned their posts last month.

Roger Wallace, ...
click for more

AMHERST — Hiking enthusiasts who wish to get outdoors and help raise money for the fight against food insecurity can take part throughout the month of October in the fourth annual Hike for Hu...
click for more

AMHERST — The community will have more opportunities to offer their thoughts and perspectives on the town’s search for a new, permanent police chief. That word, coming from Town Manager...
click for more

AMHERST — As the final list of candidates is readied, the League of Women Voters will be hosting their upcoming candidate forums to allow those seeking office to present their platforms to th...
click for more

AMHERST — With their director still on paid, administrative leave, a temporary leadership structure for the Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service was established and announced b...
click for more

AMHERST — The results and details of a Title IX investigation that was initiated following allegations of staff harassment and improper conduct against student members of the LGBTQIA+ communi...
click for more

AMHERST — In furtherance of their renovation and improvement campaign, the Jones Library will present, An Evening with John Lithgow: In Support of Libraries, the Humanities and Democracy in G...
click for more

AMHERST — Moving forward in the search for a new police chief, town officials reached out directly to the community, inviting the public for their assessments and their hopes in what qualitie...
click for more

AMHERST — White Lion Brewing Company cut the ribbon on its second Western Massachusetts home with a grand opening ceremony at 24 North Pleasant St. in downtown Amherst.

A large gather...
click for more

AMHERST — In the aftermath of a public upheaval in the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District and within the Amherst and Pelham School Committees, measures are being taken to fill four membe...
click for more

AMHERST — The town is moving ahead with the search for a new permanent police chief by hosting two public listening sessions to exact thoughts and ideas from the community on what they hope t...
click for more

AMHERST — Christina (Kiko) Malin has been selected as the town’s new Public Health Director. Subject to review by the Town Council, Malin will come to her new role from her current posi...
click for more

AMHERST — He was known around town simply as “Mr. Moon,” a member of the community, a longtime volunteer and a fixture at the town transfer station for more than 20 years.

...
click for more

AMHERST — Town residents along with people who reside in Hadley, Pelham and Shutesbury are invited to take part in the town’s collection of household hazardous waste materials. The Sept...
click for more

AMHERST — A November public reopening for the North Amherst Library is now expected as the final steps for occupancy are taken for the renovation project at the historic location at 8 Montagu...
click for more

AMHERST — Finance Director Dr. Douglas Slaughter is returning to his recent role as interim school superintendent as of the Aug. 31 meeting of the Joint Regional School Committee.

Slau...
click for more

AMHERST — On Sept. 2, the Cushman String Quartet continues the Amherst Historical Society’s Third Annual Strings at the Strong, a Saturday afternoon concert series that runs through lat...
click for more

AMHERST — A reading by distinguished New England Poet Marilyn Nelson will be just part of the program for the Tell It Slant Poetry Festival which runs online and on site at the Emily Dickinso...
click for more

AMHERST — The director of the town’s Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service was placed on administrative leave, according to a statement issued on Aug. 18 by town officials...
click for more

AMHERST — Three resignations quickly followed a closed executive session of the joint School Committees that lasted more than two hours and was met with significant community pushback when th...
click for more

AMHERST — Carefree Cakery has opened the doors to its storefront location in the Mill District. The bakery, located at 71 Cowls Road cleared the path for its confection seeking customers on A...
click for more

AMHERST — The Amherst-Pelham School District will begin the fall term just as the spring term ended, without Superintendent Michael Morris at the helm. In this most recent case though, the ch...
click for more

AMHERST — A unanimous vote at the Aug. 7 Town Council meeting has pushed review of an updated policy governing town streetlights into the fall.

Following public comment on the matter, ...
click for more

AMHERST — Town Finance Director Sean Mangano will be leaving his position, a post he has held since 2020.

In an announcement issued by the town, Mangano offered praise for the members ...
click for more

AMHERST — The Amherst-Pelham Regional School District has been hit with a second discrimination complaint in the weeks and months following allegations against middle school staff members whi...
click for more

AMHERST — It begins with lunch.

Forging a stronger connection between the community and the town’s military veterans is among the goals of Amherst’s Community Responders fo...
click for more

AMHERST — After incurring damage from the end of July heavy rains, Jones Library reopened on Aug. 2 after closing the doors for less than a week. Heavy rain over the July 29 weekend led to le...
click for more

AMHERST — Following his return from a medical leave of absence, Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Superintendent Michael Morris has been the subject of a demonstration rally by supporte...
click for more

AMHERST — Amherst Superintendent Michael Morris has returned to his position after stepping away in May, citing medical reasons.

In a letter to school community members, Morris who re...
click for more

AMHERST — The Amherst Survival Center has secured $100,000 in funding, distributed over the next fours years, through a legislative earmark by state Rep. Mindy Domb (D-Amherst).

The fu...
click for more

AMHERST — At the July 17 Town Council meeting, councilors entered into a spirited discussion following a proposal from Town Manager Paul Bockelman for discussions on the formation of a commis...
click for more

AMHERST — With Captain Gabriel Ting currently serving as interim police chief, the town of Amherst is continuing their search for candidates to fill the role on a permanent basis.

At t...
click for more

AMHERST — Discussions on what the town should do with remaining money from the ARPA funding dominated the first half of the nearly four and a half hour Town Council meeting of July 17.

AMHERST — The Planning Board gave unanimous approval for a temporary certificate of occupancy for a mixed-use building project approved by the town in 2018 but delayed by the coronavirus pand...
click for more

AMHERST — Music returns to kick off the warm weather weekends with the Business Improvement District’s third annual Friday Night Summer Concert Series on the South Common.

Beginn...
click for more

AMHERST — The Giant Book Sale is back. The League of Women Voters will host their annual event beginning July 28.

The gymnasium at the Fort River Elementary School transforms into a ma...
click for more

AMHERST — Following a vote in executive session at the July 12 meeting, the Amherst Regional School Committee voted to ratify a new, three-year contract for members of the Amherst-Pelham Educ...
click for more

AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts Amherst and the town of Amherst announced a new, five-year strategic partnership agreement totaling contributions by the university of $5.5 million t...
click for more

AMHERST — The Summer Concert Series presented by Friends of the Mount Holyoke Range will resume their Thursday night performances beginning July 6 at Mount Holyoke Range State Park.

Th...
click for more

AMHERST — Town councilors will see their yearly stipends increase come January following a 7-4 vote at its June 26 meeting.

Councilor pay will rise from $5,000 to $10,000 on January 2,...
click for more

AMHERST — An update on the status and plans for use of money from the ARPA funds was presented at the June 26 Town Council meeting by Town Manager Paul Bockelman and Finance Director Sean Man...
click for more

AMHERST — Town residents Debora Bridges and her daughter Anika Lopes have been nominated for the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women’s annual Commonwealth Heroine Award.

AMHERST — A weekend of commemoration for the Juneteenth observance culminated with a celebration on Monday June 19 on the common.

Local businesses and members of the community came tog...
click for more

AMHERST — The Town Council approved the operating budget for fiscal year 2024 at its June 12 meeting, paving the way for the $75.4 million plan which comes alongside the $17.7 million already...
click for more

AMHERST — The Jones Library Building Project has received additional financing to the tune of $1.7 million in state money to address coronavirus pandemic-related cost increases.

The fu...
click for more

AMHERST — The second annual Community Safety Day comes to the Mill River Recreation Area on Saturday, June 24.

This year’s event is again sponsored by the Amherst Senior Center a...
click for more

AMHERST — The town’s third annual Juneteenth Jubilee on the common will recognize and celebrate the state and national holiday with a weekend of events and remembrances.

Recogniz...
click for more

AMHERST — With the temperatures rising ahead of the official start of summer, the Senior Center has plans in place to offer a full complement of activities while taking a more casual and open...
click for more

AMHERST — Town Manager Paul Bockelman was joined by Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director Pamela Nolan Young and Assistant Director Jennifer Moyston for a laid-back discussion of community...
click for more

AMHERST — The Town Council and Finance Committee completed their discussions of the final fiscal year 2024 budget presentations at the May 30 meeting. Included in the review were specifics wi...
click for more

AMHERST — The June 1 meeting of the Board of License Commissioners focused largely on the extension of late-night hours and the potential addition of service for lunch carts and food trucks i...
click for more

AMHERST — Just moments ahead of a raging thunderstorm, a pride flag was raised high atop the flagpole at the town hall following the joint reading of a proclamation declaring June LGBTQ+ Prid...
click for more

AMHERST — The May 23 Town Council meeting included final presentations of budgets by the Finance Committee.

Finance Director Sean Mangano directed questions concerning inspections to ...
click for more

AMHERST — In one of his first actions since his appointment, acting School Superintendent Douglas Slaughter sent a letter to the Amherst, Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools community ...
click for more

AMHERST — The Town Council and Finance Committee met on May 15 with discussions and proposals, among them, issues concerning allocations for the Amherst Police Department and Community Respon...
click for more

AMHERST — Dr. Douglas Slaughter, finance director for the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District, was selected to serve as acting superintendent at an emergency School Committee meeting on M...
click for more

AMHERST — The May 10 meeting of the Town Council, Community Safety and Social Justice, and Committee and Human Rights Commission was the platform for a lengthy series of discussions concernin...
click for more

AMHERST — The Town Council began intial discussions of the fiscal year 2024 budget at a meeting on May 1 with follow-up reviews on specific items on May 9 and 12. Town Manager Paul Bockelman,...
click for more

AMHERST — Seniors in town now have another way to get around to activities from medical appointments, the grocery store and even services and events at the Senior Center.

The Silver Sh...
click for more

AMHERST — A celebration of Native American heritage, the third Annual Odenong Powwow comes to Amherst-Pelham Regional High School on May 27 and 28.

“It’s essentially a cult...
click for more

AMHERST — Plans will move forward for the town’s new elementary school after a May 2 special election ballot resulted in 82% of voters saying “yes” to fund the project.

AMHERST — “SpringFest” will arrive at the Mill District on Saturday, May 13. The first-time family event will be headlined with a concert by Mister G, a Latin Grammy and Parent&rs...
click for more

AMHERST — Protocol, a new restaurant-bar in town is now in week seven following a soft opening-launch at the end of March.

The open concept environment at 1 East Pleasant St. is the fi...
click for more

AMHERST — “This is government at its best, identifying local needs, listening to local voices and working at the local, state and national level to preserve and expand our civic infrast...
click for more

AMHERST — Following presentations and public comment on financial orders at the Town Council meeting of April 24, discussions took place ahead of a vote on the use and allocation of monies re...
click for more

AMHERST — Innovation Pathways, an educational program designation already offered to dozens of schools in Massachusetts is now planned for the fall at Amherst-Pelham Regional High School.

AMHERST — Exploring and dissecting language around potential alterations to the town’s current regulations for multi-use and mixed family living space, board members continued their dis...
click for more

AMHERST — Moving toward the May 2 special election vote on funding for the new elementary school project, the Elementary School Building Committee met on April 14 prior to a public presentati...
click for more

AMHERST — As part of an increased presence in Western Massachusetts and New England, Amherst is now home to the latest Autism Care Partners facility following an April 12 ribbon cutting cerem...
click for more

AMHERST — The area around the playground at Kendrick Park will become home to the creative renderings of a local artist.

The joint venture involving the Amherst Public Art Commission, ...
click for more

AMHERST — The Centennial Water Treatment plant in Pelham will be torn down and a new facility will be built on the existing site with the assistance of a $15 million loan from the state&rsquo...
click for more

AMHERST — If last week’s agreeable weather was not a big enough clue, the time has almost arrived for the 2023 Amherst Farmer’ Market.

What has become an annual destination...
click for more

AMHERST – Over the course of three meetings on April 3, the Amherst Town Council approved the debt exclusion order for the town’s new elementary school building project.

click for more

AMHERST — Amherst’s Planning Board has begun to look at ways to bring more businesses and residences to East Amherst Village Center. Among its top priorities are keeping and attracting ...
click for more

AMHERST — Continuing on from the previous meeting, Amherst’s Town Council and Finance Committee once again met on March 27 to discuss the proposed debt exclusion order for a new element...
click for more

AMHERST — With the vote on a new elementary school project fast approaching, the Amherst Town Council met with the Finance Committee during its March 20 meeting to discuss and approve the ord...
click for more

AMHERST – The decrease in SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) coupled with the sharp increase in food prices due to inflation has caused the Amherst Survival Center to i...
click for more

AMHERST – At its March 15 meeting, the Planning Board met with the members of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) who are updating the town’s Historical Preservation Plan. ...
click for more

AMHERST – On March 6, state Sen. Jo Comerford and state Rep. Mindy Domb met with the Amherst Town Council to discuss the legislative process and their goals for the upcoming legislative sessi...
click for more

AMHERST — After 46 years, 13 of them as chief, Amherst Police Chief Scott Livingstone will retire from the force on May 27.

“I made the decision to retire now because I will reac...
click for more

AMHERST – Beginning Feb. 27, members of the Amherst-Pelham Education Association (APEA) will begin what is known as “working to rule,” whereby they will perform only their strict ...
click for more

AMHERST – As Amherst inches closer to an approval for a potential new elementary school, the Town Council approved a ballot question for a vote on debt exclusion for a special election on May...
click for more

AMHERST – A new ballot committee has been formed to encourage a “yes” vote on the townwide vote this May to approve a debt exclusion to fund the town’s share of the construc...
click for more

AMHERST – At their Feb. 21 meeting, the Amherst Planning Board discussed opportunities for housing growth within Amherst. The meeting was for purely discussion purposes, no action was taken a...
click for more

AMHERST – The Jones Library’s Building Project is currently in the design development phase. This means that the project’s committee is in the process of making the final decision...
click for more

AMHERST – The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) is currently working with the Amherst Planning Department and the Amherst Historical Commission to draft the 2023 Amherst Historic Pres...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst School Committee decided to delay the Amherst Public Schools (APS) sixth grade’s move to Amherst Regional Middle School (ARMS) at its Feb. 16 meeting. Sixth grader...
click for more

AMHERST — On Dec. 29, 2022, the Black Business Association of Amherst Area (BBA) recently expressed dissatisfaction with the Amherst Business Improvement District’s choice of awardees i...
click for more

AMHERST — The Amherst Town Council reserved the South Common as the designated location for this year’s Amherst Farmers Market at its Feb. 6 meeting. Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke was also...
click for more

AMHERST — The League of Women Voters (LWV) Amherst will be celebrating its 84th birthday on Feb. 11, starting at 3:30 p.m. The celebration will be a virtual ceremony hosted on Zoom open to an...
click for more

AMHERST — The Amherst Cultural Council recently awarded 73 cultural programming grants to various artists, businesses and institutions. Approximately $61,983 was awarded in total, with the la...
click for more

AMHERST – Another round of federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grant funding for Amherst businesses is currently available for application. The deadline for application is March 1. The gr...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council passed two motions at its Jan. 23 meeting which are the first steps in longer processes. The first was a special act regarding a new property transfer fee f...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Planning Board met on Jan. 18 to discuss business both old and new. The majority of the meeting was spent discussing various issues; however, the board did take action o...
click for more

AMHERST – The Jones Library recently received a $121,000 grant over two years from the United States Citizenship and Integration Services (USCIS), a department within the Department of Homela...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council met on Jan. 9 to vote on the appointment of multiple positions within town government and respond to a legal memo regarding a complaint made against the cou...
click for more

AMHERST – The African Heritage Reparations Assembly (AHRA) hosted a virtual community listening session on Jan. 11. They were joined by special guests in the form of U.S. Congressman Jim McGo...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Senior Center will host a new six-week dance program called “Sampling The Divine,” teaching Egyptian dance, sometimes referred to as “belly dancing.&rd...
click for more

AMHERST – On Jan. 4 the Amherst Planning Board viewed and discussed revised plans for a renovation of existing buildings at 10, 12 and 22 Belchertown Rd. to create transitional housing for pa...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst Community Theatre will be hosting a production of “The Little Mermaid” for the first time ever in late January. The show will run from Jan. 19 to 29 at the Bowke...
click for more

AMHERST/HADLEY – Amherst will receive a $155,000 grant for the purpose of finalizing design work for a shared sewer with Hadley. The grant was awarded through the Energy & Regionalization...
click for more

AMHERST – Former University of Massachusetts Amherst professor Ken Samonds recently authored and published “A Slant of Light: The Stained Glass Windows of Grace Church,” a book ab...
click for more

AMHERST – The Inn on Boltwood continues its Holiday Traditions series with its New Year’s festivities. There will be events on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, with c...
click for more

AMHERST – The annual State of the Town address was delivered at Amherst Town Hall on Dec. 19. Town Manager Paul Bockelman and Town Council President Lynn Griesemer spoke about the town’...
click for more

AMHERST – The Inn On Boltwood will host its annual holiday traditions, beginning with its Christmas festivities. These consist of a Christmas Eve dinner, a Christmas Day breakfast, and a Chri...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Labor Alliance (ALA), based out of Amherst College, is currently fundraising to support the expenses of Amherst College workers whose wages are insufficient for their co...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council adopted a resolution concerning the safety of the Amherst-Pelham Regional High School Athletic Complex at its Dec. 12 meeting. The resolution comes a week a...
click for more

AMHERST - The annual Merry Maple tree lighting occurred on Dec. 2 on the Amherst Town Common. It was the first year of the historic Merry Maple tree being gone, as it was removed shortly prior to t...
click for more

AMHERST – Town Manager Paul Bockelman recently signed a purchase and sale agreement for the property at 457 Main St., which is the site of the former Amherst Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) po...
click for more

AMHERST – The Senior Center has acquired a new van to transport elderly Amherst residents. The van was donated to Senior Services by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA). It is wheelch...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst’s Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service (CRESS) has been selected as “one of eight teams selected from across the United States and Canada by the C...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council met on Dec. 5 to reconsider their Nov. 21 decision not to appropriate $900,000 for the renovation of the Amherst Regional Public Schools (ARPS) track and fi...
click for more

AMHERST – The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is celebrating its 20th anniversary as of Nov. 22. Founded by the late Eric Carle and his wife Barbara in 2002, the museum has attracted ov...
click for more

AMHERST – Starting on Nov. 30, the Amherst Senior Center launched a new weekly series called the CR Café, an abbreviation of Can’t Remember Café, which will take place eve...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst’s first annual Sip “n Shop Stroll will take place on Dec. 15 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Downtown shops will stay open until 9 p.m., offering complimentary beverages t...
click for more

AMHERST – Members of the Amherst Governance, Organization, and Legislation (GOL) committee and Town Council hosted a special meeting on Nov. 30. The meeting was centered on reviewing and edit...
click for more

AMHERST – The Lighting of the Merry Maple tree in Amherst’s North Common on Dec. 2 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event will feature live music, refreshments, activities and will be followed...
click for more

AMHERST – Hopes and Feathers, the Amherst-based art gallery and frame store, will be hosting its 11th annual Small Works Sale from Dec. 1 to Jan. 12. Local artists’ works will be on dis...
click for more

AMHERST – The Merry Maple tree in downtown Amherst’s North Common was removed on Nov. 17 after decades of being a fixture in the community. Fans gathered around the tree for a celebrati...
click for more

AMHERST – At Nov. 21’s Amherst Town Council meeting town officials discussed a postponed motion from an earlier session, read several proclamations and voted on multiple action items. R...
click for more

AMHERST – Veterans, town officials, and Amherst residents met in North Common on Nov. 11 for the town’s Veterans Day celebration, organized by Central Hampshire Veterans’ Services...
click for more

AMHERST – The town of Amherst saw a record-high turnout on Nov. 8th’s midterm elections. Votes were gathered via in-person polling and mail-in ballots. The town clerk’s office was...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Education Association (APEA), which represents teachers and other school faculty in Amherst Regional schools, currently seeks increased compensation in their cont...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council met on Nov. 14 and passed three new motions regarding restorative justice measures following the July 5 incident wherein an Amherst Police Department (APD) ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council met on Nov. 7 to vote on several action items and receive several presentations regarding parking and the tax classification plan for fiscal year 2023 (FY23...
click for more

AMHERST – On Oct. 31 Martha Toro, a retired teacher in the Amherst Regional Public Schools (ARPS) district, sent a letter to the ARPS community along with members of the press, stating her fr...
click for more

AMHERST – The Community Safety and Social Justice Committee (CSSJC) and the Amherst Town Council hosted a joint meeting on Nov. 1 to discuss the CSSJC’s ongoing campaign for restorative...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Hockey Association (AHA) will host its annual Try Hockey for Free Day on Nov. 5 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. at the UMass Amherst Mullins Center Community Rink at 200 Co...
click for more

AMHERST – The first Amherst South Asian Fall Festival will be hosted at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst at 121 N. Pleasant St. on Nov. 5 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Town Councilor Shali...
click for more

AMHERST – Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley sent a letter to University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy on Oct. 18 demanding an end to the "harmful experiments" bei...
click for more

AMHERST - On Oct. 16, the Hitchcock Center for the Environment celebrated the fall season with its annual Fall Festival. Throughout the event, festival goers had the opportunity to sample drin...
click for more

AMHERST – Applications for Amherst’s allotment of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds were released at the end of September and are are currently open. The money is intended ...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst resident and community activist Rossana Salazar was the recipient of a Latino Excellence Award during a virtual ceremony on Oct. 13. Salazar was nominated for the award by R...
click for more

AMHERST – Tensions were high and tempers flared during the Amherst Town Council’s Oct. 17 joint meeting with the Community Safety and Social Justice Committee (CSSJC). Pamela Young, the...
click for more

AMHERST - Members of the Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service (CRESS) team assembled in their Downtown Amherst office Oct. 13. Pictured from left to right: Brittany Houghton, Kennet...
click for more

AMHERST – The first round of grant funding for Amherst’s small businesses was awarded this month. 16 local businesses were awarded a total of $49,500, drawn from the town of Amherst&rsq...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Historical Society (AHS) will host its seventh annual Ski and Winter Gear Market sale on Oct. 29. Shoppers may enjoy the outdoor marketplace and purchase new, top of the...
click for more

AMHERST – After a year of starting school earlier, the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee discussed the results of a survey sent out to parents, students and staff about the survey duri...
click for more

AMHERST – On Oct. 16, the Hitchcock Center for the Environment will celebrate its 60th anniversary with the Hitchcock Harvest and Feast, featuring live music, locally sourced food and drink, ...
click for more

AMHERST – The town of Amherst has allocated $300,000 in funding for the expansion of existing early education programs or the creation of new programs. The funding will be awarded in grants t...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council convened on Oct. 3 for a meeting. On the agenda were several presentations regarding budgetary processes and funding appropriations, an amendment to local b...
click for more

AMHERST – Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor of Massachusetts Kim Driscoll stopped by Amherst on Oct. 1 to kick off her canvassing effort in the area. Driscoll spoke at Fort River E...
click for more

AMHERST – After a late-August vote by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) approving its spatial allotment, the new Fort River Elementary School project has entered schematic de...
click for more

AMHERST – Hickory Ridge, the former golf course at 191 Pomeroy Ln., will be the subject of a $430,000 trail improvement project beginning in spring of 2023. According to a press release from ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Regional Public Schools (ARPS) School Committee convened for a lengthy meeting on Sept. 27. Updates throughout the region were shared and several pressing issues were di...
click for more

AMHERST - The town of Amherst hosted its annual Puerto Rican Heritage Day celebration on Sept. 23 in front of Town Hall.

AMHERST – Amherst Public Schools are working towards a partnership with the town’s Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service (CRESS) Department, the details of which were disc...
click for more

AMHERST – After months of uncertainty and debate, the Amherst Town Council voted to authorize Town Manager Paul Bockelman to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Jones Library ...
click for more

AMHERST – Community members and municipal officials alike gathered for an open roundtable discussion at the Cuppa Joe event featuring Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman and the public health...
click for more

AMHERST – With a final report due to the Town Council in June 2023, Amherst’s African Heritage Reparations Assembly (AHRA) discussed a collaboration with Amherst College and documentati...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council discussed accepting two private roads as public roads during its Sept. 12 meeting.

The first item was in itself a first for the council: a proposed a...
click for more

AMHERST – The saga of the Jones Library renovation and expansion project continued over the course of two municipal meetings, culminating in the library’s Board of Trustees’ agree...
click for more

AMHERST – The Board of License Commissioners deliberated potential updates to the marijuana and liquor license regulations at its meeting on Sept. 1.

Section 11 of the “Regulati...
click for more

AMHERST – During the Amherst Planning Board’s Sept. 7 meeting, the board hosted a public hearing regarding amendments to local zoning bylaws, two special permit public hearings regardin...
click for more

AMHERST – Jones Library’s restoration and expansion project continues as the Jones Library Building Committee (JLBC) discussed matters of funding, design and timeline during its Sept. 8...
click for more

The Amherst Cultural Council (ACC) hosted its 2022 Grant Information Session on Sept. 2. The meeting took place on Zoom and was hosted by council Co-Chair Matt Holloway, with additional input from ...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst’s Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service (CRESS) Department began active service on Sept. 6. The department provides an unarmed alternative to police resp...
click for more

AMHERST – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced Amherst College would receive nearly $5.7 million to offset COVID-19 expenses incurred during the height of the cor...
click for more

AMHERST – With Amherst now eligible to apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), leaders of nonprofits and social services organizations addressed the needs of those they help and...
click for more

AMHERST – After a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Amherst Block Party returns for its 10th anniversary on Sept. 15.

From 5 to 9 p.m., North Pleasant Street will b...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst School Committee met via Zoom on Aug. 31 to recap summer programs, discuss budgeting and provide updates on ongoing issues within the district.

The meeting began ...
click for more

AMHERST – A new juice café is coming to downtown Amherst.

Kwench Juice Café is a franchise with 17 locations across the U.S. and will open its next location before Oct. ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) unanimously approved a second special permit for Michael Holden to construct a new, owner-occupied, single-family home on the rear portion of the e...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Regional Public School District (ARPS) resumed its first-day celebration on Aug. 24 at Kendrick Park.

Superintendent Michael Morris said the district has hosted ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Jones Library’s Board of Trustees and the Building Committee (JLBC) met individually last week with the trustees voting 5-1 to start a discussion with the town to pledge t...
click for more

AMHERST – The University of Massachusetts Amherst Police Department (UMPD) received a $130,645 grant from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Service...
click for more

AMHERST – The Graduate Employee Organization (GEO), the on-campus graduate worker union for the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) rallied at the UMass Campus Center on Aug. 12 to fi...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Survival Center will resume indoor dining and community activities on Sept. 1 for guests to eat, speak and build relationships together.

Guests will be able to u...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Planning Board heard a request for a second special permit to be granted to 1147 N. Pleasant St. to allow the construction of a one-family detached dwelling to be added ...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has determined the actions of a police officer captured in a recent viral video did not constitute an abuse of power....
click for more

AMHERST – The Mill District’s newest addition brings Indian, Arabic, Pakistani and Chinese foods, spices and other goods to the Riverside Park located at 19 Montague Road in North Amher...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Police Department, Fire Department and Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Security (CRESS) Department collaborated with the Senior Center to host a Community Sa...
click for more

AMHERST – The newly restored Emily Dickinson Museum reopened on Aug. 16 after a coronavirus pandemic-driven closure for over two years.

The museum was established in 2003 when ownersh...
click for more

AMHERST – The Planning Board hosted an introductory site plan review to submit questions and gather information on the proposed building of a private apartment-style dormitory limited to stud...
click for more

AMHERST – Prior to owning Foxcroft Farm, and previous to his long career as a builder before that, Jim Hoerle remembers walking up the ramp to Reminder Publishing’s East Longme...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Dog Park opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 27 after five years of planning, designing and building.

Located on 1.5 acres along the southwest side of ...
click for more

AMHERST – Renovations at the West Cemetery, the oldest burying ground in Amherst, have begun to reset, repair and assess dozens of headstones, obelisks and monuments with contractors from Lud...
click for more

AMHERST – Family Outreach of Amherst (FOA), in collaboration with the town of Amherst, has been allocated $150,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to aid residents struggling with ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Community Resources Committee (CRC) of the Town Council hosted a three-hour community forum on July 25 to field comments, questions and concerns about the CRC’s task of de...
click for more

AMHERST – A video making rounds on social media depicting an alleged early July incident between Amherst police officers and a group of minors has angered residents, many of whom condemned th...
click for more

AMHERST – The “Poetic Dialogue” sculpture by Michael J. Versi depicting Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost on rocks opposite one another near the Emily Dickinson Museum was reinstal...
click for more

AMHERST – The Fine Arts Center (FAC) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) opened ticket sales for the 2022-23 season with over 20 unique performers and events taking place from ...
click for more

AMHERST – Summer Music on the Amherst Common, presented by the Amherst Business Improvement District (BID) returns for the second year to bring a diverse collection of free performances to th...
click for more

AMHERST – Artist Gary Hallgren was at one of his favorite spots, The Moan and Dove in Amherst, when he realized the art on the walls of the beer bar had been up for a long time. He asked the ...
click for more

AMHERST – Foxcroft Farm owner Jim Hoerle recently received a $40,000 grant to help cover the cost of a new hay and equipment storage shed as a member of the Agricultural Preservation Restrict...
click for more

AMHERST – Senior Planner Nate Malloy recently presented an update to the Amherst Dog Park to the Planning Board after changes were made during construction primarily to accommodate the clay c...
click for more

AMHERST – Representatives for the South Congregational Church met with the Historical Commission to hear an opinion on the church applying for grant money from the Community Preservation Act ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee (ARSC) has filed a petition for mediation after failing to reach a contract agreement with the Amherst Pelham Educators Association (APE...
click for more

AMHERST – The Ko Festival is preparing for its final summer season after 31 years of featuring performers from around the world.

Sabrina Hamilton, co-founder and artistic director of ...
click for more

AMHERST – Library Director Sharon Sharry presented an updated schematic design for the $36.3 million Jones Library addition and renovation project at a community forum on July 6. Sharry highl...
click for more

AMHERST – The new Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Security (CRESS) and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) departments have commenced operations in Amherst following a swearing-...
click for more

AMHERST – Do you have old books piling up in your house? The Amherst League of Women Voters (ALWV) is hosting their Annual book sale for the first time in two y...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst has signed a contract with MassPowerChoice, an aggregation services company founded by Peregrine Energy Group and Bay State Consultants, “to procure its services in de...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Regional School Committee (ARSC) and Amherst School Committee (ASC) both submitted a positive review of Superintendent Michael Morris with a summative evaluation of his ...
click for more

AMHERST – At its June 27 meeting, the Town Council voted 10-2 and approved the establishment of a stabilization fund that will ultimately provide the African Heritage Reparations Assembly (AH...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Elementary School Building Committee (AESBC) unanimously voted in favor of sending the preferred schematic report (PSR) of a new three-story building at the Fort River E...
click for more

AMHERST – The Common Share Food Co-op announced it has entered the pre-construction phase and celebrated adding 85 members in the last year at its first in-person event since the start of COV...
click for more

AMHERST – The Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) is hosting its 48th annual summer conference at Hampshire College on Aug. 5 to 7, with the theme “Decolonizing and Regrowing O...
click for more

AMHERST – Massachusetts and the National Park Service selected Amherst to receive up to $827,000 in federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants for its revitalization project of th...
click for more

AMHERST – The town of Amherst recently announced it had secured a nearly $300,000 grant from the Baker-Polito administration to extend its existing municipal fiber network to provide fast, re...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation and addition project at the North Amherst Library on June 15 after the estimated $1.2 million cost was fully funded by an...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst’s Juneteenth Jubilee at the Town Common on June 19 was an all-day celebration with discussion, food, music, magic and more to commemorat...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council resumed a lengthy discussion from May 16 with the intention to vote on a “A Resolution Protecting Adult Access to Plant Medicines and Prioritizing Pub...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Security (CRESS) Department hosted a community forum with the Amherst Police Department (APD) to discuss the collaboration be...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Democratic Town Committee (ADTC) met on Zoom on June 9 where it voted unanimously to support the Fair Share Amendment following an update and question and answer session...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Regional School Committee heard a response to its request for an update and summary on the new secondary math curriculum and courses offered at the middle and high schoo...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst Town Council heard the first reading of a proposal to rescind and update the Demolition Delay section of the town’s Zoning Bylaw, voted on recommending parking updates...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Planning Board hosted a public hearing on June 1 to discuss updates to the floodplain overlay district and amend the official zoning map as shown on the Flood Insurance ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals saw a presentation and discussed updates to the plans of new duplexes and apartment buildings at the corner of Sun...
click for more

AMHERST – A new restaurant and catering business opened in the Mill District in North Amherst on May 31 with an idea that is as fresh as its ingredients.

AMHERST – The Amherst School Committee heard an update on the new elementary school building process, discussed the discontinued supply of COVID-19 tests from the Massachusetts Department of ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Memorial Day Parade and ceremony on May 30 honored veterans with a proclamation from the Town Council and appearances from state Rep. Mind...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council and other officials gathered outside of Town Hall to deliver messages in support of Pride month, read the Proclamation Recogn...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst Regional Public Schools (ARPS) are exploring the possible implementation of a program called Massachusetts Safe Routes to School in partnership with the town of Amherst Tran...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council and Finance Committee hosted a public hearing on Zoom and fielded questions and comments from the public for 45 minutes on May 16.

Town Manager Paul...
click for more

AMHERST – Teachers, paraeducators, and other members of the Amherst-Pelham Education Association (APEA) staged a united walk-in on May 12 in protest of the 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council unanimously voted to refer the request of the African Heritage Reparation Assembly (AHRA) to earmark cannabis tax revenue for reparations to the Finance Com...
click for more

AMHERST – Hampshire College announced that it has continued to exceed its yearly admissions goal and remains on track to continue to grow enrollment after a financial sustainability plan. Ham...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Senior Center hosted an open house on May 11 at the Bangs Community Center to celebrate the center’s full reopening in person. The open house featured a jazz trio ...
click for more

AMHERST – Gov. Charlie Baker has signed fire chief legislation submitted by Amherst’s town council, known as bill H.4593, to allow Amherst to continue employing Walter “Tim”...
click for more

AMHERST – Craig’s Doors, an organization providing shelter, resources, meals and more to people experiencing homelessness is making adjustments to its temporary shelter locations as sum...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst Media will be permitted to continue its original plan for building a new hub after agreeing to drop its lawsuit against the Amherst Local Historic District Commission (LHDC)...
click for more

AMHERST – Town Manager Paul Bockelman and Finance Director Sean Mangano presented the original draft for Amherst’s fiscal year 2023 (FY23) budget at the Town Council’s May 2 meeti...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Education Foundation (AEF) will host its second annual mini-golf fundraiser on May 21 at the Western Mass. Family Golf Center on Route 9 in Hadley from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m....
click for more

AMHERST – The Julius Ford/Harriet Tubman Healthy Living Community (HLC) hosted a festival at Mill River Recreation Area on May 7 for a day featuring basketball,...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst Ultimate will host its annual Amherst Invite, a high school tournament with over 25 teams, on May 7 and 8 at the MacDuffie School in Granby.

The teams are split into...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Farmers’ Market opened for its 50th anniversary on April 23 as residents and vendors crowded the Town Common on a sunny day.

...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Police Department (APD) was awarded an OUI Enforcement Achievement award by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the department announced on social media on April 27. <...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst Cinema Workers United (ACWU) filed a petition to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to form a union on April 22. That same day, workers sent a letter asking for volun...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst and Pelham school committees conducted a joint meeting on April 26 and unanimously voted to approve a recommendation from Superintendent Michael Morris and the Office of...
click for more

AMHERST – District 5 Councilor and Town Council Vice President Ana Devlin Gauthier presented a PowerPoint describing deceptive advertisement strategies by limited services pregnancy centers, ...
click for more

AMHERST – The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) hosted an in-person ceremony on April 14 as part of the year-long celebration of the school’s University Without Walls (UWW) 50...
click for more

AMHERST – The Bartlett Tree Experts will give away 500 tree saplings at Atkins Farms Country Market in Amherst for Arbor Day on April 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Greg Beck, the Bartlett ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Community Participation Officers (CPO) are hosting a Community Clean-Up Day in coordination with a post-cleanup celebration hosted by the Amherst Business Improvement Di...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Cultural Council will host a 60- to 90-minute accessibility roundtable on Zoom on April 28 with Massachusetts Cultural Council Universal Participation Initiative (UP) Pr...
click for more

AMHERST – During its April 12 meeting, Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Superintendent Michael Morris encouraged members of the Amherst Regional School Committee (ARSC) to provide ques...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Human Rights Commission (HRC) has accepted nominations for its 16th year of celebrating Youth Heroism Awards. The commission has partnered with the Julius Ford Harriet T...
click for more

AMHERST – The grand opening weekend for The Drake, Amherst’s first live performance and music venue, will start on April 28 with performances by Regina Carter and others throughout the ...
click for more

AMHERST – Sen. Ed Markey visited the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) on April 14 to announce $995,000 in federal funding secured for the university’s Energy Transition Insti...
click for more

AMHERST – The building owner of 37. N Pleasant St. and 45 Boltwood Walk, McMurphy’s and Mass Vintage respectively, has submitted a new demolition permit application after an identical a...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee (ARSC) met on April 5 and discussed a letter sent by the Granby School Committee (GSC) that asked other districts to respond with whethe...
click for more

AMHERST – Earl Miller will use his life experience and solutions-oriented work history as well as social-forward strategies to respond to non-violent emergency calls as the new leader of Amhe...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst Town Council unanimously approved traffic flow improvements, the $33 million Amherst Regional Public Schools budge, and the recognition of June 19 as Juneteenth among other ...
click for more

AMHERST – One of Amherst’s newest restaurants gives a taste of authenticity from various Asian cuisines in the form of rice bowls, octopus balls and crab rangoon.

Nalinee Ninsri...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Survival Center will host its 14th annual “Empty Bowls” event on April 2 to provide a unique way for all Amherst residents to ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council approved over $2.3 million for various projects recommended by the Community Preservation Act (CPA) Committee in its meeting on March 21.

The counci...
click for more

AMHERST – The $32.6 million Jones Library building project is full steam ahead after a community chat was hosted by Town Manager Paul Bockelman, Library Director Sharon Sharry and Jones Libra...
click for more

AMHERST – According to their peers, the Amherst Regional Public Schools athletics program is in good hands.

Amherst Regional Public Schools Athletic Director (AD) Victoria Stewart was ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee voted on and unanimously adopted the fiscal year 2023 (FY23) budget of $32.98 million during their March 15 meeting.

The FY23 bud...
click for more

AMHERST – The town of Amherst recently announced it had finalized the purchase of the Hickory Ridge Golf Course property after a multi-year process to acquire the land.

The 150-acre pa...
click for more

AMHERST – Joining the recreational cannabis scene in town is Pleasantrees, a Michigan-based company that now has opened their second Massachusetts dispensary.

With the new Amherst loca...
click for more

AMHERST – In an effort to increase sustainability, students from the Amherst Regional High School are looking for support from the community in their 2022 tree planting project.

Last y...
click for more

AMHERST – Parking permit fees and regulations will soon be adjusted and changed in Amherst following the March 10 meeting of The Town Services and Outreach (TSO) Committee of the Town Council...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council is continuing efforts for social equity as they look to a home-rule petition through the state Legislature to allow and create a reparations initiative for ...
click for more

AMHERST – Area Tibetan Americans joined at the steps of Town Hall on March 10 for the 63rd anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day where a flag raising cer...
click for more

AMHERST – The town of Amherst recently announced it was awarded $825,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Develop...
click for more

AMHERST – Following a two-year pandemic-related hiatus, the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Dining Services will host their 11th annual UMass 5K Dash and Dine on April 9.

The goal ...
click for more

AMHERST – The town of Amherst received a public health update from Health Director Jennifer Brown and Town Manager Paul Bockelman that shed light on the status of the town’s case number...
click for more

AMHERST – There will be no moratorium on large-scale, ground-mounted solar projects after the Town Council did not reach the necessary two-thirds vote to enact one during their Feb. 28 meetin...
click for more

AMHERST – In a show of support to kick off the Emily Dickinson Museum’s 20th anniversary fundraising effort, $600,000 has been committed for the reconstruction of the Evergreens carriag...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Democrats will host their caucus on March 6 to elect delegates to represent Amherst at the 2022 State Democratic Convention.

The caucus is open to all registered ...
click for more

AMHERST – The new elementary school project was the topic of much discussion at the Amherst School Committee’s Feb. 22 meeting. Among the topics discussed were the education plan for th...
click for more

AMHERST – While February is the home stretch of the winter season, Amherst Recreation is promoting a chance for community members to do something outdoors, and help towards a good cause, in F...
click for more

AMHERST – The town of Amherst’s Community Chat returned on Feb. 17 with a Q&A session open to residents who were seeking more information on the elementary school building project. ...
click for more

AMHERST – During the week of March 1, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) Office of Public-School Monitoring will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of...
click for more

AMHERST – The town of Amherst spoke last fall when they voted to approve the renovation and expansion of the Jones Library and as 2022 begins, the early stages ...
click for more

AMHERST – Kristin DeBoer, executive director of Kestrel Land Trust (KLT), likes to build community by conserving forests and farmland.

“We have three focus areas, three reasons f...
click for more

AMHERST – The Town Council will soon make a decision that could have an impact on some renewable energy projects.

The town...
click for more

AMHERST – In an effort to bring high fashion down to affordable pricing, Andrea Marion opened “The Closet” on Montague Road in North Amherst.

In what started as an online h...
click for more

AMHERST – While COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for children as young as 5 years of age, many wonder when younger children will be eligible. When that time comes, what would be the best ...
click for more

AMHERST - As part of their Winterfest celebration the town of Amherst hosted Ice Sculptures on the Common, a drive through or walk up experience where residents could see impressive ice sculpting o...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Cinema has been an entertainment treasure of the community, but during the pandemic it has had to adjust like all other aspects of life.

George Myers, general man...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst School Committee met on Feb. 8 and went over a range of topics from school budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year as well as an update on the new elementary school build...
click for more

AMHERST – During their Feb. 7 meeting as the Amherst Town Council had their first reading of the proposed moratorium on large scale solar projects, something that is anticipated to be voted o...
click for more

AMHERST – In an event put together by the Racial Justice Committee and the Amherst League of Women Voters, residents were invited to attend virtually a presentation from Doreen Cunningham, as...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Cultural Council has announced they are awarding 65 grants totaling $61,475 for cultural programs in Amherst and nearby towns.

Notable grant recipients include Am...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee convened for a joint meeting on Feb. 1 where Superintendent Michael Morris opened a presentation on support and retaining of school lead...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Human Rights Commission gathered with residents, members of the Town Council and the Amherst Area Gospel Choir for the 2022 Flag Raising Ceremony honoring Black His...
click for more

AMHERST – Looking for a community activity this winter to stay active? Join the Walking Challenge against other Amherst communities.

Challenged by other Amherst municipalities across t...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Community Resources Committee (CRC) met on Jan. 27 and approved a recommendation that will go to Town Council for a solar moratorium in order to have enough time to crea...
click for more

AMHERST – The Public Shade Tree Committee is looking for community input on areas of town to target for planting with warm weather around the corner.

Acting Chair Henry Lappen said the...
click for more

AMHERST – The Planning Board recently approved a plan for a new lyceum for the History and Humanistic Inquiry departments on the property on the Amherst College...
click for more

AMHERST – Through state grants focused on adding to firefighter safety, the Amherst Fire Department has received funds that will be allocated toward improved safety equipment and improvements...
click for more

AMHERST – As the renovation of the Jones Library approaches, the Historical Commission received a lengthy and informative historical structure report during their Jan. 12 meeting on the build...
click for more

AMHERST – In a callout to artists in the Pioneer Valley, the Burnett Gallery of the Jones Library is seeking applicants to exhibit their work in the upcoming season of monthly virtual art sho...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Community Resources Committee (CRC) met on Jan. 10 for a public hearing on the proposed moratorium of developing large-scale, ground-mounted solar projects that generate...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst College will make a special $200,000 donation to be split evenly between the Jones Library renovation and expansion project and The Drake, a new arts and cultural performanc...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee met for the first time in the new year and Superintendent Mike Morris had an informative update on COVID-19 testing and cases in the sch...
click for more

AMHERST – The second Town Council of Amherst met in person in the chambers of Town Hall to officially begin their term on Jan. 3.

In what District 2 Councilor Lynn Griesemer said could...
click for more

AMHERST – In their Dec 21 meeting, the Amherst Regional School Committee went over new courses for the Amherst-Pelham Regional High School curriculum that includes Disability Justice Lit...
click for more

AMHERST – The first Town Council of Amherst met for their final time together on Dec. 20 before the new year brought in the second council, but there was still a pressing issue to go over on ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Board of Health announced they will be delaying any action of a vaccine mandate for certain Amherst businesses such as restaurants, gyms a...
click for more

AMHERST – For the eighth year, the Amherst Regional Middle School (ARMS) Art and Social Studies departments have teamed up with Amherst’s Amnesty International chapter to honor universa...
click for more

AMHERST – In an effort to liven the local arts scene coming out of the pandemic, the Amherst Public Art Commission hosted their first exhibit in the Town Hall g...
click for more

AMHERST – The Town Council officially approved the formation and establishment of the Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service (CRESS) program and the Office of Diversity, Equity ...
click for more

AMHERST – Residents driving through downtown Amherst the morning of Dec. 10 might’ve seen a man doing trick basketball shots from the top of an Amherst Fi...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee voted to approve a vaccine mandate for staff during its Dec. 7 meeting. The plan is to implement the policy, which was agreed upon unani...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council continued discussions on zoning changes during its Dec. 6 meeting and ultimately held up the vote on the most divisive of the possibly changes, a new parkin...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council gave its State of the Town Address to the public and all those in virtual attendance of their Dec. 6 meeting.

The address began with Town Council Pre...
click for more

AMHERST – Feeling burnt out? Looking to relieve yourself of stressors from the pandemic and everyday life? Cranberry Hill Healing Arts may have the answer for you.

Through reiki and s...
click for more

AMHERST – The Town Council met on Nov. 29 to discuss a series of zoning changes, including a controversial one that could allow for a second downtown parking garage to be built by a private d...
click for more

AMHERST – After a one-year hiatus, the town of Amherst gathered for their annual Lighting of the Merry Maple ceremony. After a virtual ceremony a year ago due t...
click for more

AMHERST – A recount of the District 4 race for two seats on the Town Council has officially been conducted and confirmed in the original results.

...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council met on Nov. 22 and discussed more on the proposed moratorium on large scale solar projects.

click for more

AMHERST – The second annual Hike for Hunger just wrapped up their month-long fundraising effort that supports the Amherst Survival Center in offering meals, supplies, and services to resident...
click for more

AMHERST – A designer for the Amherst Elementary School Project has been selected.

DiNisco Design was chosen for the project after being selected by the Massachusetts School Building A...
click for more

WESTERN MASS. – Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury met virtually on Nov. 20 for a four town meeting to get a jump start on discussions revolving around budget basics and informatio...
click for more

AMHERST – It’s been a long journey for Federico Mendiola to get to the point of opening his new restaurant, Garcia’s, located at 51 E. Pleasant St.  

The new Mexican r...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Fire Department (AFD) is looking to solve a staffing issue that has plagued the department for multiple years and is now bleeding over into surrounding towns emergency r...
click for more

AMHERST – A special meeting of the Town Council and Finance Committee took place on Nov. 15 and served as a public forum on the current budget and future plans. While the whole town budget wa...
click for more

AMHERST – The Community Preservation Act Committee (CPAC) met on Nov. 10 and were given presentations from the Recreation Department about possible funding of projects in the future. While no...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council met on Nov. 8 and discussed a wide variety of town projects, but the most divisive  was about the large ground-mounted solar system proposed for wooded...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee met on Nov. 9 to go over the budgeting items for the past financial quarter as well as the first quarter of the new school year.

AMHERST – The week following the 2021 Amherst election has shown the public that this year’s election cycle is not quite over yet.

Following the closing of polls on the Nov. 2 e...
click for more

AMHERST – The town of Amherst hosted its annual Veterans Day program at the North Common flag pole on Nov. 11. The event included an invocation by Anita Morris, chaplain, United States Air Fo...
click for more

AMHERST – The Recreation Commission met on Nov. 1 and introduced their newest members on the commission while also discussing the upcoming proposals for recreation projects around the town th...
click for more

AMHERST – With a resounding 65 percent of voters selecting “Yes” on the lone ballot question this election cycle, Amherst residents approved the $35.3 million expansion and renova...
click for more

AMHERST – The Town Council approved proposed redistricting plans at its meeting on Oct. 25.

The Town Council passed a motion 10-1-0 with two absent, to approve of the districting plan...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee voted 7-1-1 to approve sixth grade students to attend the Amherst Regional Middle School on their Oct. 26 meeting. The decision comes fo...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Conservation Commission met on Oct. 27 to discuss the status of the construction of a solar photovoltaic energy generation facility.

While nothing was decided on...
click for more

AMHERST – The Governor’s Awards in the Humanities were handed out on Oct. 24 and one recipient of the award was Sonia Nieto, professor emerita at the College of Education at The Univers...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Dog Park Task Force met on Oct. 26 to go over the status of the construction of the new park. The charge by this task force for the new Dog Park has been to shepherd the...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Community Safety Working Group (CSWG) met with the Town Council to present the second part of their charge in helping recommend a better and safer Amherst through altern...
click for more

AMHERST – The University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) was the setting for the announcement of major future capital investment by the Baker-Poli...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Neighbors Board will be hosting their first fall celebration event virtually on Oct. 31 from 1 to 3:30 p.m., titled “Aging in Community: What It Takes.”

AMHERST – The Historic Commission met on Oct. 20 and voted unanimously in a public hearing to go through with the complete destruction of a timber framed wooden barn built in 1850, located on...
click for more

AMHERST – RedCardinal, the town’s first solely recreational use cannabis dispensary, opened Sept. 1 and has started to carve its own unique corner. Stationed at the end of the stores wi...
click for more

AMHERST – The Town Council met Oct. 18 to discuss several items, but the bulk of conversation from the night was focused on the new redistricting proposals.

In a presentation done by t...
click for more

AMHERST – With the Nov. 2 election upcoming, residents will be faced be a divisive question on the ballot regarding the Jones Library.

The question being asked is a request for the cit...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Regional School Committee held off on a vote to move the sixth grade students in the region to Amherst Regional Middle School (ARMS) at th...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst’s local arts scene has suffered a blow as the Amherst Arts Night Plus (AANP) has ceased operations after nearly 20 years.

Prior to COVID-19 and the restrictions...
click for more

AMHERST – New York City, in August 1970, was ground zero in the fight for gender equity.

Patricia Romney was there, and now she’s written a book, “We Were There: The ...
click for more

AMHERST – The former Hickory Ridge Golf Course will soon be a blank canvas for the town of Amherst.

Last week, the town of Amherst hosted a three-day event series open to the public to...
click for more

HADLEY – The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and Kestrel Land Trust introduced a new partnership Oct. 6 in a private event at The Food Bank’s newest farm located on 32 Shattuck Rd. i...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council met on Sept. 27 to host a primer and public forum to discuss and review the town’s new Master Plan.

The Master Plan, which was originally adop...
click for more

AMHERST – The Jones Library in Amherst hosted a naturalization oath ceremony on their front lawn on Oct. 1 as 21 immigrants from around the commonwealth officially became U.S. citizens. The a...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Survival Center wants you to take a hike.

The second annual Hike for Hunger kicks off on Oct. 1 in s...
click for more

AMHERST – Town officials are seeking reaction from residents about the efforts to redefine voting precincts and district boundary lines.

According to information from the Districting ...
click for more

AMHERST – State legislators and officials recently traveled to Western Massachusetts to tour four Connecticut River Valley farms and learn about their importance to the local community.

AMHERST – The University of Massachusetts Amherst defended its practices after a recent demonstration by PETA calling for the end of experiments involving marmosets.

The protest, which...
click for more

AMHERST – With a number of contested races and a contentious ballot question, Amherst’s town clerk anticipates a good turnout for the Nov. 2 election.

The ballot features a full ...
click for more

AMHERST – Changes could be coming to the landscape of housing in the town of Amherst.

With the ongoing housing crunch and the need for increased residential density being a major facto...
click for more

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY – The new executive director of the Mass Cultural Council told a group of leaders from art and cultural organizations in Amherst he is recommending an allocation of $575 mill...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Regional School Committee could vote on coronavirus vaccine requirements for staff and students at its Sept. 23 meeting.

At the request of the School Committee, t...
click for more

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY – After her recent move to the Pioneer Valley, new Lander-Grinspoon Academy (LGA) Executive Director Debra Kolodny said they are looking forward to serving the school communi...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst School Committee met to discuss a variety of agenda items including a possible move for sixth graders to Amherst Regional Middle School, s...
click for more

AMHERST – “I came here to play,” declared Town Council President Lynn Griesemer before the official opening of the new playground at Kendrick Park.<...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Town Council conducted a first reading of a proposed Comprehensive Housing Policy that would aim to diversify the town’s housing stock and improve equity in owning...
click for more

AMHERST – A church bell with roots in the town going back to 1820 is now part of the collections of the Amherst Historical Society.

George Naughton, president of the society, announced...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst Regional Public Schools (ARPS) will continue to require everyone inside school buildings to wear masks and would exercise social distancing to start the 2021-2022 academic y...
click for more

AMHERST – Acting Health Director Jennifer Brown indicated she intends to use a data-driven approach to assessing the need to continue the town’s current mask mandate.

At an Aug. ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce has launched the What’s Next Campaign to promote tourism in the local region.

The What’s Next campaign launched on July 30 an...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Historical Commission has proposed an expansion plan that would include properties on North Pleasant Street.

“The Local Historic District Commission is prop...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Regional Public Schools (ARPS) are hosting its yearly Project Backpack program for the Amherst-Pelham region.

“The Amherst Regional Public Schools Project ...
click for more

AMHERST – On Aug. 2, the Amherst Town Council met to discuss several topics, including this year’s upcoming elections.

“The major thing we need to discuss tonight is twofol...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) has brought on the summer fun with their annual free Friday summer concert series in the Amherst Commons, but this year, the...
click for more

AMHERST – The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority’s (PVTA) proposed partnership with Quaboag Connector to create an intercity service that will connect Amherst to Worcester using Route 9 i...
click for more

AMHERST – Tucked away on 17 Kellogg Ave., Antonio Marquez Diaz has opened his dream restaurant. Mexcalito Taco Bar serves a variety of tacos, drinks and specials that remind Diaz of home. ...
click for more

AMHERST – The Amherst Community Safety Working Group (CSWG) has proposed a new alternative program to public safety services currently provided by the Amherst Police Department (APD).

...
click for more

AMHERST – On July 21, the Amherst Planning Board and Community Resources Committee met to discuss four new zoning bylaw amendments for the town.

The amendments were proposed by Mauree...
click for more

AMHERST – On Feb. 17, the Emily Dickinson Museum announced they’d be temporarily closing the Homestead’s doors as they embarked on major restorations to the revered poet’s h...
click for more

AMHERST – Amherst Cinema is taking an exciting next step in its reopening plan. Starting July 2, the historic theater increased its audience capacity to 50 percent.

“For more th...
click for more