Here are today's headlines:

Communities take different approaches to relaxing mask requirements

NORTHAMPTON - Three of Hampshire County's largest communities are taking different approaches to relaxing mask-wearing rules, a move recommended for fully vaccinated people by the federal government this week and OK'd at the state level as of Friday.While Easthampton is following the state guideline...

Funding for full-time police chief, zoning change on Worthington TM agenda

WORTHINGTON - Residents will decide at Annual Town Meeting on Saturday if they want a full-time police chief and whether to decrease the street frontage required to build a house, along with voting on a bevy of routine budgetary items.The meeting will take place outside the R.H. Conwell School start...

One contest in Saturday's election in Worthington

WORTHINGTON - The only contested race in Saturday's annual town election is for School Committee.In-person voting at Town Hall will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and mailed ballots must be returned to Town Hall by 12:30 p.m.Two seats on the Worthington School Committee are up for election...

The Great Experiment: Of pets, Pokemon, and the purple hair librarian

Editor's note: This story is part of The Great Experiment, a series produced by Professor Kathy Roberts Forde's Longform Narrative class in the Journalism Department at the UMass Amherst.By MADISON BETHUNE and TRISTAN SMITHA new breed of campus celebrities made their debut appearance at the UMass Li...

Setbacks haven't deterred UMass soccer ahead of NCAA Tournament showdown with Penn State

Graham Brenner had a good feeling when he saw Penn State pop into the NCAA Tournament bracket.The UMass men's soccer team's junior defender was sitting in a campus lounge with his fellow Minutemen watching the selection show unfold. They were firmly on the bubble after a strong season in the Atlanti...

Guest columnist Alan Hurwitz: Strengthening the business infrastructure

President Joe Biden is proposing a major and much needed infrastructure program for our great if aging country. Pro-business Republicans should join Democrats in embracing this opportunity to support American enterprises and workers. The program will provide even more benefits than the current debat...

Columnist William Newman: A girl of summer leaves us

Barbara Newman Kravitz, Oct. 9, 1931-April 21, 2021Last Saturday was glorious - sunny, with dogwoods and cherry trees in blossom. Our small group, gathered together at a graveside to say goodbye to Bobbie, who had passed at 89, was grateful for the warmth.Bobbie's younger son, Neal, shared this st...

The Great Experiment: Ski slopes and calzones

Editor's note: This story is part of The Great Experiment, a series produced by Professor Kathy Roberts Forde's Longform Narrative class in the Journalism Department at the UMass Amherst.With mountains of powdery white snow underfoot and a starry night sky overhead, John-Paul McDonald, known to frie...

A new stage: After taking over Iconica Social Club during pandemic, actors have high hopes for future

NORTHAMPTON - Over the summer, Will Swyers and Ximena Salmerón, both actors, were looking for a new project. Something bold, they said. But it wasn't an acting endeavor they turned to.They ended up taking over downtown cafe Iconica Social Club, "which was a lot more bold than anything we had in mind...